Amazing April's No-Spend Days Challenge!

cathybird
cathybird Posts: 15,310 Forumite
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edited 29 March at 6:07PM in Debt-free wannabe challenges
Welcome to Amazing April's No Spend Days Challenge! This challenge is all about helping people to save money by setting aside days every month where you deliberately don't spend unnecessary cash. Over the short term, it can help you have a more frugal month. Over the long term, if you stick with it, it can help change your mindset because you get out of the habit of frittering money away and start automatically holding off from spending instead. It also helps you delay purchases, which in turn means you lose interest in a lot of things you might otherwise impulse buy.

Another good thing with this challenge is we're all in it together, and people will help you on bad days and cheer you on on good days, and the support and accountability can really help make it easier to keep going with it. And if all else fails, there's always next month

To join, just post the number of no-spend days (NSDs) you're aiming for in April and you are on your way!

Tips for the challenge:
1. It's totally up to you but if you've never done the challenge before, it's probably simpler to start with a goal of 10 or (at most) 15.

2. It is fine to exclude necessary expenses eg petrol, groceries, pet food, etc, when it comes to deciding what is and isn't an NSD. It is also completely fine to exclude automated or recurring payments such as bills, mortgage or direct debits.

3. It does help to post every time you notch up an NSD, or at least every two or three days ... it's easy to lose track! If you want to keep track of your NSDs in your MSE signature, that can be really motivating too

4. It also helps to bookmark the thread, it's much easier to find.

5. NSDs are trickier than they seem and easily derailed. It can work better if you notch up as many days as you can in the first half of the month, or think of the month in thirds so if you're aiming for 10 NSDs, try to do 4 days in the first 10, 3 in the second and 3 in the third. And if you feel that you're falling behind, there's no shame in changing your target! Sometimes life just gets in the way, and the challenge should be fun, not a grind.

April

Off to a start = image 

5 days = image 

10 days = image 

15 days = image 

20 days = image 

Target reached = image 

Target beaten =

To see the updated results for April on phone or tablet, click here :)
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Comments

  • CrazyBee787
    CrazyBee787 Posts: 514 Forumite
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    Thank you @cathybird I really appreciate the effortXX
    I am trying to make £260 in prolific and other sources by 30th May 2025 - I have £77.29/£260 which is 29% 
  • beanielou
    beanielou Posts: 94,511 Ambassador
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Academoney Grad Mortgage-free Glee!
    Thanks as always for the new shiny thread @cathybird
    I am a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on Mortgage Free Wannabe & Local Money Saving Scotland & Disability Money Matters. If you need any help on those boards, do let me know.Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any post you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button , or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com. All views are my own & not the official line of Money Saving Expert.

    Lou~ Debt free Wanabe No 55 DF 03/14.**Credit card debt free 30/06/10~** MFW. Finally mortgage free O2/ 2021****
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  • KajiKita
    KajiKita Posts: 6,699 Forumite
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    Loving the Easter and spring themed emojis 😊

    KK
    As at 15.04.25:
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    - OPs to mortgage = £11,338 Interest saved £5225 to date
    Fixed rate 3.85% ends January 2030

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  • cathybird
    cathybird Posts: 15,310 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
  • Caeraugirl
    Caeraugirl Posts: 576 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Thank you @cathybird for the shiny new thread.

    I haven't met my target of 20 NSDs for the last two months, but will stick with it for April - maybe third time's the charm 🤞.
    #21 Save £12k in 2025 £8377.35/£20000

    April NSD Challenge 7/20
  • Thriftymissus
    Thriftymissus Posts: 181 Forumite
    100 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Thanks @cathybird for April’s thread. I’d like a target of 20 for the month please. 
  • Thanks for the new thread @cathybird, I will aim for 15 as I am on holiday in April 
    LMD x
    Life gets in the way...PADding is addictive...Saving's better than spending...
    2025 1p challenge #41 | Cash envelope challenge #01 | SPC #017
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  • Kermit10
    Kermit10 Posts: 1 Newbie
    First Post
    I’d like a target of 20 please Cathy  :)
  • cathybird
    cathybird Posts: 15,310 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    hi Kermit10 image and welcome image to our lovely thread! I've added you to the list, best of luck with the challenge! image
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